Politics

How PM Modi Secured China’s Agreement on LAC Patrolling Amid Tensions

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) administration is currently facing a crucial test in the ongoing diplomatic efforts between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping to resolve military tension in East Ladakh following the PLA’s violation in May 2020. The scenario not only evaluates the tenacity of Indian diplomacy but also shows the political leadership’s and the Indian Army’s cooperation and resolve in the face of adversity.

Following the amicable meeting between Modi and Xi in Kazan, which resulted in delegation-level discussions, they arranged a Special Representative Dialogue to negotiate de-escalation along the 3,488 km Line of Actual Control (LAC). Wang Yi, the Foreign Minister and Director of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee will speak with India to address military tensions on both sides of the LAC, while Ajit Doval, India’s National Security Advisor, will represent India in this discussion.

Senior military commanders and the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) have been negotiating extensively, and the result is the recent return of both armies to patrols in the Depsang Bulge and Demchok sectors. The WMCC has met 17 times, and military commanders have met 21 times since the dramatic conflict at Galwan on June 15, 2020, to discuss disengagement and the restart of patrols.

India is still committed to restoring patrolling rights in Depsang Bulge and Demchok, despite the announcement on September 9, 2022, of the pullout from the Gogra-Hot Springs-Khugrang Nullah region. The government has said unequivocally that meeting these military requirements is a prerequisite for normalizing relations. It is recognized that the accords and buffer zones are temporary, even if Congress has opposed them. In the foreseeable future, the Indian Army plans to patrol these locations.

Along the 1,597-kilometer border in East Ladakh, the Indian Army and the PLA had previously blocked one another in Depsang and Demchok; therefore, the current patrolling agreement only covers the Western Sector. This deal strengthens Prime Minister Modi’s standing as a leader who would not back down in the face of PLA aggression while also giving India diplomatic clout.

There are still about 50,000 troops, tanks, and missiles stationed along the LAC while both countries work to restore ties. Both armies must navigate the logistical and temporal hurdles of soldier relocation as they strive to reduce their presence to pre-April 2020 levels. Both parties would have to put up with the severe winters in East Ladakh while the deal is still being implemented on the ground.

The intricacies of the border disputes with China are historical legacies that date back to the 1950s and the years preceding the 1962 conflict, notwithstanding the Congress party’s critiques of the Modi administration for alleged yielding to Chinese military pressure. The unsettled border is a legacy of previous political and military leadership failures and illustrates the difficulties of Chinese colonization of Aksai Chin during the building of the Tibet-Sinkiang Highway.

India must take cautious and confirmed moves toward restoring relations with China as the two presidents have a productive conversation to avoid any border flare-ups. It is anticipated that the PLA will refrain from taking unilateral action along the LAC under President Xi’s direction. To improve bilateral relations, Modi has outlined a vision of mutual trust, respect, and sensitivity since the world cannot afford the consequences of armed confrontations between China and India.

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Lessons learned from the May 2020 infractions will inform future operations as Indian military patrols in the Depsang and Demchok regions are expected to resume. China and India need to manage the LAC cautiously since unilateral actions might cause relations to freeze, similar to East Ladakh’s bitterly cold winters. As both countries negotiate this challenging geopolitical environment, the world will see the political leadership of India’s determination and the Indian Army’s unflinching dedication.